I met the Hon’ble MR on 11th August 2016 and requested him to intervene for satisfactory finalization of Railway specific issues listed in the Charter of Demands upon which Strike action was announced and later on (6th July, 2016) deferred pursuant to the assurance given by Hon’ble MR as well the statement made by the Finance Ministry.

While thanking the Railway Board for settling the Technicians issue during formal discussions held on 22nd July 2016, I request the Board (CRB, MS) to sort out remaining issues through early discussions.

One of the important Issues on which discussions were held in the Fast Track Committee Meeting with the Federations was “Induction of Course Completed Act Apprentices as substitutes in exigency”. It was concluded in the Fast Track Committee Meeting (O8/05/2015) to reiterate the instructions to facilitate GMs to engage Apprentices as substitutes. However, the Board have not reiterated earlier instructions inspite of commitment. While this matter is continued unresolved, the Railway Board have issued policy directive (letter No. E(NG) II/2016/RR-l/8 dated 21/06/2016), reserving 20% of vacancies in GP 1800/- (PB-l) to be filled by Railway Apprentices through recruitment process by RRCs. In this connection, the Federations vide letter No. vide letter No. II/94/Part I 27/06/2016 (copy enclosed) expressed reservations duly conveying that Railway Apprentices have faced three written examinations before obtaining NCVT. The Board is yet to reconsider the matter for facilitating automatic induction of trained Railway Apprentices against 20% vacancies in GP 1800/-.

This issue is required to be resolved by your kind intervention as well by special efforts of Member Staff. It is also relevant to take note of ground reality wherein thousands of vacancies continued unfilled on each zonal railway, consequently, the staff are heavily over burdened and quality of work and efficiency is deteriorating. On the pretext of heavy vacancy position and non-availability of replacements, the Zonal Railways are bluntly refusing to forward inter railway transfer request applications or to relieve staff wherever processing was completed. The promotion of Helpers from GP 1800 to 1900 is also not being considered on many zones due to heavy shortage in the feeder grade.

You may kindly appreciate that exigency exists for filling the vacancies and manning the posts on Zonal Railways and in this context, the Railway Board has to take a call immediately in association with the Federations for the purpose of Induction of all the Act Apprentices against vacant posts (as substitutes).

The Federation therefore, requests your kind intervention for resolving this issue. The Federation also requests you to kindly take appropriate action for satisfactorily settling the remaining pending issues as brought out vide Federation’s letter No. 11/95/Part IX dated 01/08/2016 through dialogue soon.